Cottonwood Park is located across from Richardson High School in the southwest corner of the City of Richardson. It is a popular neighborhood park, but since it is one of the larger parks in Richardson, it attracts residents from around town. The park has a wide paved sidewalk that winds around the green space allowing visitors to get some exercise. There is a creek that flows through the park and has been dammed in two places to create large ponds that attract ducks, geese, herons and other wildlife. There are two walking bridges that cross the creek on the north and south side of the park. You can also find tennis courts, basketball hoops, sand volleyball, and a small swimming pool that has a separate deep end with diving boards. The pool is only open during the summer between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day Weekend. Pool hours are limited and depend greatly on the city budget and the number of lifeguards available. A major attraction is a children's playground. It has been developed with different age groups in mind and is accessible for individuals with disabilities too. Twice a year, each spring and each fall, the city holds the Cottonwood Arts Festival. This is a juried event with artists from around the country displaying and selling their unique creations. The City of Richardson plants wildflowers all over the city each spring and reserves large areas of the park for the flowers too. It's a great place to take photos and have a picnic with your family. There are two covered pavilions that can be reserved by residents for parties, meetings, and other activities. The pavilions have tables and chairs and even electricity. I wish visitors to the park would do a better job of picking up after themselves, and I wish the city would do a better job of maintaining the park. Trashcans are often full and not emptied frequently enough so garbage ends up overflowing and blowing around into the grass and the waterway. Despite this, I really enjoy visiting this park on a regular basis. You should check it out too. read more

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It was not like this growing up here there's so much dog poop and trash I think they abounded this park! The city needs to do something about this and if your one of these people throwing trash and leaving dog poop stop! Por favor para de estar asiendo eso read more

Cottonwood Park - Dirty lake - Parks Near Me - Richardson, Texas

What a lovely cool little place! We walked around and enjoyed the atmosphere very serene and peaceful. We bird watched and saw a few ducks around the area. I am looking forward to Spring! read more

A+ park! I have only been here since the remodel but I'm a huge fan of it all being gated so there's no risk of little ones escaping and getting into the pond. Not only is all the equipment new and fun and exciting, but the whole play zone is pretty much shaded. WOW. Total game changer in the summer and something every park with a playground in Richardson should adopt. Cause it's not getting any cooler these days, and kids need to burn energy even when it's summertime in the metroplex! Looking forward to coming back and experiencing the rest of the park as well! read more

This is a smaller park, only took about 20 minutes to walk around. There is a large pond in the middle and a creek running along one of the borders. Lots of small animals. Plenty of benches and picnic tables. There's is also a public bathroom and not a lot of trash at this park compared to others. I'm only giving it three stars because of the size. However I do recommend to visit. read more

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This is a nice small neighborhood park to walk, have a family party or bring kids to the playground. It's not a good park to run/jog because it's small. The water in the pond is pretty dirty but the overall cleanliness is okay. read more

Looking for my granddaughter (age 4). Park area was perfect. Swimming pool is for children that can swim. read more

We've been to the playground twice and both times were fun for my daughter. The right side is for 2-5 year olds and the left side is for 5-12 year olds but I noticed all ages on both sides. I wouldn't trust my daughter to play on them alone. There are some kids that run all over the place and are aggressive. My girl loves the slides now and sometimes the swings. We will for sure visit again when we are in the neighborhood. There's also a pool and basketball courts. read more

Wanted to take some time and appreciate the nice weather we've been having, so got a few friends together to eat, play sports, and relax. We originally though White Rock to be a good central location, but due to it having construction, being pretty spread out (difficult to arrange meeting spot), and also parking often being a problem--we changed our minds. Cottonwood is across the street from my high school, it's definitely a place I grew up going to. :) It's a decent sized park, a little bigger than small, if that makes sense. There is a small flat area to play football, soccer, frisbee, fly a kite, etc. on the east side. There is also mini sized hill there and restrooms are on that side. They are fine, not really dirty, but I didn't see any place to wash your hands, maybe I just didn't notice--that's what antibacterial gel is for! The west side has everything else. Playground, tennis court, public pay pool, 2 large pavillions, lots of picnic tables, trash cans, and of course the small lake/pond. There is more flat land in the back, cars cannot drive all the way through the park, so the back area is quiet. There is a path where you can jog around the park as well. There is plenty of shade, and also lots of sun--just depends on what you want. When I arrived early that morning, I saw the guys come and empty all the trash cans, it is a pretty clean park, just a few pieces of litter that may have been picked up by the wind. There are a ton of ducks there that everyone loves to feed bread. This is a nice place to spend a sunny day with friends and family. read more

A decent sized neighborhood park. It has a tennis court, play ground, and benches near several grills. There are ducks at the park that swim and roam freely but do not disturb the visitors. There is a walking trail around the park that is about a mile. read more

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By far one of the best parks in Dallas. The playground is massive and completely enclosed by a fence. There's ducks, cool bridges and a shaded walking path. If it's nice outside- this place gets crowded very quickly...and for good reason. read more

I've walked through this park virtually every day/night (barring only the most extraordinary weather) for the past 2 years. Pros: -- Close to 2 miles of paved "trails"/sidewalk for walking/running. -- At night, and very early in the mornings, it's a fantastic place for large bird-watching. Besides having close to 100 ducks year round (mostly muskovies, mallards, and a few plain white domestics), there are also some more interesting birds too. There are Canada Geese year round, with greater numbers during different times of the year -- many of them moving on, with only 30 or so staying permanently. During the winter months there are dozens of Northern Shovelers, as well as quite a few Scaups and Wigeons, but these typically leave once it warms up. I've actually spotted 2 little Wood Ducks (a year apart), but they do not appear to stick around for any significant time. Maybe they just pass through. Around April of each year, several Yellow-Crowned Night Herons (including at least two adult males who are quite striking in appearance) arrive and stay for the whole summer -- but you typically will only see these very early in the mornings, wading around catching fish and crawdads. Black-Crowned Night Herons fish here too, also early in the mornings. Great Blue Herons and Great White Egrets can be seen most days, as well as some smaller Snowy Egrets. I've also spotted a couple of smaller Green Herons on more than one occasion. Several times a year for a few weeks at a time there are 6-8 big black/brown Cormorants that skulk in the trees overhanging the water. They occasionally dive after fish, and then sun themselves on the rocks with wings spread. At night you can find little Screech Owls on the ground. At least once a year a dense flock of some kind of Seagull invades the place. There are also at least 2 different species of woodpecker/sapsucker. -- Other wildlife include turtles & rabbits, squirrels, and I once ran into a coyote at about 4:15am. -- Beautiful views from several spots, when the moon is bright and shining on the water. -- Nice trees, and some decent spots for reading. -- Generally well maintained; the grass is mowed and the weeds are trimmed, and large broken limbs from the big nice trees are typically removed within a few days. The only exception to this is when people throw parties and leave garbage scattered, which may remain for weeks. CONs: -- Irresponsible dog owners. There is apparently a great deal of confusion with regards to leash laws in this park. There are signs posted which clearly state that ALL animals must be on leashes 6ft or less; unfortunately, these signs are strategically placed in spots where very few people will see them. The result is people mistaking this park for a dog park. Virtually every day you will find dogs, both large and small, running free with no leash. Sometimes the dogs will actually have a leash attached them, but no human attached to the other end of the leash. Other times the leash will be so long (i.e., the 40-foot retractable type) as to negate the whole purpose of a leash. Then there are those owners whose dogs pull/lunge towards every living creature in site (try sharing the sidewalk with one of these!). In this park, dogs chase ducks, approach strangers, accost other [leashed] dogs, swim through the pond, and of course, leave "gifts" everywhere for others to step in. When confronted, the owners of these dogs invariably respond in one of two ways; either: 1) Good-natured obliviousness ("Don't worry, he's friendly!") or, 2) Oblivious consternation ("Hey, don't be rude to my dog!"). The idea that other park-goers might have the same right as anyone to enjoy a common area without being touched/accosted by random strangers/animals is evidently unfathomable to these owners. -- Irresponsible parents. This park is a great place to have birthday parties, church events, picnics, and other such wholesome family events. It's also evidently a great place for parents to leave their childrens' trash and garbage. The city of Richardson provides plenty of well-maintained trash cans, yet balloons, confetti, paper plates, foam cups, plastic cups, childrens' balls, wrapping paper, plastic utensils, bottles, cans, wrappers, discarded food etc., are invariably scattered about after these events. This garbage often finds its way into the water, where it mixes with algae and pond scum, and just looks (and sometimes smells) disgusting for weeks. Further, many parents here inexplicably (and sometimes obliviously) allow their small children to rush up to strangers and strange dogs (both leashed and unleashed) without asking if its safe. OVERALL: It's a beautiful park, and the cons listed above can be mostly circumvented by enjoying the pros very early in the mornings. A few of the bird species listed above can only be spotted before sun-up. read more

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I've been pet-sitting for a guy that's been out of town this past week and walked his dog here. My only complaint about this park is that they need those poop bags for people who come unprepared. With this park being nestled in a neighborhood a lot of people walk their doggies here and not alot of people pick up the poo. Sure there's a bunch of duck and geese poop around, but we don't need more doggie poo to add to the mess. I'm not sure if Richardson has a doggie poo pick up ordinance, but they should if they don't. I also came here a long while back with Frank, Fran, and others for a park outing and it really is a nice park to hold such functions. There's plenty of open play space and plenty of picnic tables throughout the park. read more

I like this park. It's not too big, but they've made the most of the space. There's areas to sit on wooden tables, plenty of room in the grassy area to spread a blanket, and just a touch of nice paved areas and a little bridge to walk along. It's a very relaxing place to be if you live or work in the area and just want to take a little break and get some fresh air. I wouldn't make a special trip just to come to this park since it is on the smaller side, but since it's close by for me, it really does the trick. I'm glad it's here for us to enjoy. In my opinon, the more parks, the better! We need more green spaces. There are also some tennis courts which are free to use. read more

I usually go to Duck Creek but when that park is too packed I take my little cousins to Cottonwood park. They have two small playgrounds, tennis courts, public restrooms, grilling and sitting areas, a community pool and a small walking trail. We usually come on a weeknight in the summer to feed the ducks and just people watch. It can get packed on the weekends or when there are events going on. There is plenty of parking and I've had a lot of memories here(like the time a bird crapped right on my cousins hands). I was sad when I last visited because there was so much pollution in the creek (pictures posted) so hopefully that gets taken care of! read more

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Great park that the City of Richardson maintains beautifully. Nice walking trails around a serene duck pond. Bring some bread and feed the ducks, or bring some food and have a nice picnic. read more

This place is wonderful. If you love ducks, this is the place for you. They will come up to you and let you feed them by hand. None of this throw a piece of bread on the ground and watch them eat it. They WILL come up to you and eat it right off your hand. This is also one of the cleanest parks around. Grass is cut, the water is clear, and no trash. (There's enough trash can's around, so there's no reason to throw the trash on the ground). As far as I could see, I think you can also fishing in the pond they have there at the park. When I went with my son (Which is 1 1/2 old) there where a couple of people fishing and sitting by the pond side, I could see fish popping up. There's lots of places to park, and it's a great size park. Not to small and not to big. I will continue to go here because of the beauty of it. :] read more

This is a nice little park if you want to go hang out, walk around, check out some ducks, run around with kids if you got them. Of course, it's better when it's not crowded like crazy because when it does get busy, and gets busy. read more

Awesome little neighborhood park. It's nice quiet and clean with a play area for the kiddos. I love taking a leisure stroll on the pathways. Ducks ducks and more ducks.. Nature at it's best. read more

We come here twice a year for the cottonwood arts festival and it's a lot of fun. This park is nice, clean and spaciousness. There are always ducks in the pond to feed so that's fun. There is also plenty of parking around the park and the neighborhood. This park is great for picnics, frisbee, relaxing, and for the kiddos. read more

Not the best kid friendly park. The equipment here is extremely dated. There isn't an entrance to walk to the playground from all the trails...so through the grass and duck poop you go. They have literally one bench and one picnic table around the kids playground for parents to sit. The bathrooms and water fountains are also extremely dated. Other than that, it's very scenic with the pond, ducks, and trails. read more

Very clean family friendly shady park! Basketball court, volleyball net, big and little kid playground equipment nice walking trail around large pond with calm friendly ducks geese turtles and squirrels! read more

Cottonwood Park - Ducks geese turtles and squirrels! - Parks Near Me - Richardson, Texas

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Nice enough park especially for hosting the semi-annual Cottonwood Festival in spring and fall. read more

Cottonwood Park - The park is going to the dog at the Cottonwood Arts Festival May 2015 - Parks Near Me - Richardson, Texas

What I don't like about Cottonwood Park, even though it's basically about my fault, is that I lost my iPOD NANO the day it snowed. Sucks I know. Just wanted 2 put it out there if anyone sees it. It's a lime-ish green. Even though somebody probably stole it, I would appreciate it if they/he/she gave it back!!! Signed, The World Sucks read more

I used to live by this park and I loooooooved it. It's so great for running ,because it's got access to good neighborhoods, water fountains, and bathrooms. It's got a great lake in the middle which is excellent for picnic-ing, duck feedings, and all those others things that can be great for kids or couples. In the late afternoon, you'll find a ton of families out walking and paleta men selling frozen treats out of carts. Tip: it's walking distance to Whole Foods so you can buy food (or water if you're running) for fun park times. Also, if you plan feeding ducks, go to the discount bakery at 75 and Beltline on the right hand side and pick up some stale bread for 50 cents or so. Also, this is the site of the Cottonwood Art Festival and it's a lot of fun. This isn't the biggest park but it's still pretty nice and right in the center of Richardson. I may be a little biased but I still love it! read more

I'm writing an update just so I can help suggest that the picture of nothing but litter isn't the first photo for Cottonwood. It's sad it was that polluted that day but typically it's kept awfully clean. read more

Great little neighborhood park. Lots of ducks, a great big lake and wonderful little wooden bridge. Totally cute. read more

Cottonwood Park - Davy @ Cottonwood Park - Parks Near Me - Richardson, Texas

I second Francesca on everything. This is a great park, now my new favorite park. I can sit here and watch ducks all day. It's a small park that's just big enough to have everything you need in a park. When is WiFi coming? read more

i'm sorry, but north dallas is not a city, and considering the area, this park sucks. but hey everything about dallas is horrible, so it is to be expected. read more

The playground equipment needs to be replaced...badly. The trash cans smell very badly and deserve an upgrade. The rust on both is terrible. The rest of the park is delightful. The grounds, the bridges, the benches, walkways and the birds are delightful. read more

The first time I went to this park was during an art festival. Considering how many people were there the park was very clean and very spacious to still be able to easily get around. The children's playground is pretty shaded with so many trees in the surrounding. The pond has ducks that seem to be pretty used to people because they will walk right up to the grass near the children that were throwing bits of bread for them. Parking was a disaster, obviously since it was the festival but I'm not sure about the rest of the time. read more

The splash pad was great for my 4 and 6 year old. Wife was at a conference and I was looking for something easy and free to do with the kids. We will definitely be back here next summer! read more